Surely but slowly online shopping is replacing in-store shopping. It is much easier to order wanted items and wait for them to come to your doorstep than to actually go and purchase them yourself.
If you are thinking of launching an online store of your own, it could quickly start being a little bit overwhelming considering how many eCommerce platforms are available. That is why, to ease the strain at least a little bit, in this article, I would like to present to you WooComerce and its top 7 shipping plugins.
What exactly is WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a free plugin that allows you to build an eCommerce store using WordPress. It easily takes your already existing WordPress site and turns it into a full-functioning eCommerce store, without any hard work. No matter the size of your shop or your budget, it is open-source and freely available, and that is one of the main reasons why it is so popular.
There are no rules on what you can sell on WooCommerce, but the most popular are physical products like T-Shirts, jewelry, etc. But selling digital products, charging for appointments, reservations, and so on, is also possible with WooCommerce.
You could even go as far as to display customized social proof notifications for purchases, registrations, etc., using something like the Evidence platform. This will allow you to capitalize off of FOMO, or in other words, boost your sales!
Now, you are probably wondering why is WooCommerce so popular compared to other plugins. The first and the biggest reason is: IT IS FREE, and the WordPress software is also free. But even though it is free you still have to buy a domain and pay for hosting services.
The second reason why it is so popular is that WooCommerce is a regular user-friendly plugin, which means you do not have to be a professional developer to know your way around WooCommerce. And also, one of its many advantages being that it works on all devices, which is important considering the number of mobile device users you will have.
These represent some of the main reasons, why WooCommerce is the most popular way of creating eCommerce sites worldwide. Now, I would like to talk about WooCommerce plugins, what they are used for, and present you the top 5 WooCommerce shipping plugins. But firstly, let’s talk about what plugins even are.
What are shipping plugins
Plugins represent an additional functionality to an already existing website. Using plugins it is possible to do anything on your WordPress site. Even if the feature is not available by default in WordPress, there is a plugin to use that will enable the wanted feature. And there are more than 48.000 free plugins available in the WordPress directory.
In a way, plugins are small pieces of software, which run on top of the WordPress software, making every single one of your wishes possible. Shipping plugins, to be exact, allow you to create different shipping options for your online store, making the shipping easier and smoother, international shipping possible, and also linking your WooCommerce store with many popular shipping services like DHL.
Now, let’s list some of the most popular WooCommerce shipping plugins.
DHL for WooCommerce
Want to incorporate DHL shipping services into your WooCommerce store? This is the right plugin for that. It offers flexible and powerful features and is specially optimized for product delivery processes.
It allows store owners to easily access DHL shipping rates, print out DHL shipping labels, and provides tracking information. It also helps store owners in handling international shipping, in whichever country DHL services are available.
Some of its features include fast and easy creation of labels, automatic receiving of tracking codes, and printing out return labels so that a customer can easily return the shipment if not satisfied. The plugin also supports DHL eCommerce and DHL Paket service making every type of shipping available, and you can choose the required service based on your location.
WooCommerce Table Rate Shipping
It is believed that WooCommerce Table Rate Shipping is the easiest table rate shipping plugin. It extends WooCommerce’s default shipping options giving it highly customizable shipping options, and defining multiple shipping rates based on location, price, weight, and item count.
The table rates can be calculated using different methods such as per order, item, or shipping class. You will be able to create multiple table rates for each of your shipping zones, and you can apply shipping rates differently based on your changing store strategies.
Also, the plugin offers an intuitive interface to help you configure complicated shipping rules effectively.
ELEX Hide WooCommerce Shipping Methods
This free plugin allows you to hide certain shipping methods using filters. You can hide WooCommerce default shipping methods and also third-party shipping services like DHL, USPS, FedEx, etc.
Some of its features include hiding shipping methods based on shipping classes, order weight, or other shipping methods. For example, hiding other shipping methods when free shipping is available.
WooCommerce FedEx Shipping Plugin With Print Label
Looking to streamline your FedEx shipping process? The WooCommerce Shipping Plugin for FedEx with Print Label is the perfect solution for your WooCommerce store. This WooCommerce shipping plugin integrates seamlessly with FedEx, providing real-time FedEx shipping rates on your cart and checkout pages. With automatic FedEx label printing, you can easily print shipping labels for single orders or in bulk, ensuring a smooth and efficient shipping workflow.
Key features include support for both domestic and international shipments, automatic FedEx tracking updates, and customizable email notifications to keep your customers informed. The plugin also allows you to schedule FedEx pickups, classify addresses for accurate rate calculations, and display estimated delivery dates. Additionally, it supports FedEx LTL Freight, SmartPost services, and hazardous material shipping, catering to a wide range of shipping needs.
Optimize your shipping operations with advanced features like FedEx insurance, COD collection, and FedEx One Rate for cost-effective shipping. With this plugin, you can enhance your WooCommerce store’s shipping capabilities, providing a reliable and efficient experience for your customers.
WooCommerce Weight Based Shipping
This plugin is the most ideal and preferred way of calculating the shipping costs of a physical product, which is very useful if you have more products that vary significantly by weight.
To accurately calculate shipping costs, measuring the products based on their weight, dimensions, and other factors is required, which will eventually affect the final costs. And beyond a defined range, it is possible to define the shipping rate per weight unit. Also, there is no limit on the shipping rules you can configure with this plugin.
Order Delivery Date for WooCommerce
An important aspect of the shipping experience for customers includes knowing when exactly their package will be with them, but this also helps store owners not to miss an order. This plugin allows customers to choose a delivery date on the checkout page, which reduces cart abandonment by 50%.
This plugin also lets you configure the minimum time required for delivery and display the days you will not be delivering (these days could be set as holidays). On top of that, delivery can be disabled for virtual or featured products.
WooCommerce UPS Plugin – PluginHive
Looking to integrate UPS shipping services into your WooCommerce store? WooCommerce UPS Shipping plugin is essential for that. It is certified by UPS and offers real-time UPS shipping rates, automated label printing, and streamlined UPS tracking for efficient order management.
As a UPS Ready partner, it ensures secure integration with enhanced API security using UPS OAuth 2.0. It’s compatible with multi-vendor solutions like Dokan and integrates smoothly with plugins such as WooCommerce Bookings and Appointments, Multi-Currency, and Subscriptions.
Key features include displaying real-time UPS rates at checkout, automated label printing, live tracking, and scheduling UPS pickups directly from your store. It also supports managing domestic and international shipments, provides estimated delivery dates, and includes options like UPS SurePost and UPS Access Point for flexibility. With multi-parcel packing and compatibility with popular marketplace plugins, this plugin offers a versatile and efficient shipping experience for WooCommerce users.
Conclusion
In this article, we presented you with the top 5 WooCommerce shipping plugins. Depending on your business, you may not need all the plugins mentioned, but there is no harm in downloading them and giving them a try since they are all free!
Also, we hope this article helped you understand what shipping plugins are, and how they affect shipping management.
